Castles in Kent| Read our Guide to Kent's Spectacular Castles Castles in Kent Having served on the front line, discover the spectacular castles in Kent Crowning the white cliffs high above the port, the mighty Dover Castle was started by Henry II in the 1160s. A visionary restoration has brought those days vividly to life in the Great Tower, where technicolor furnishings sit beside brightly-painted wood. Deep underground the Secret Wartime Tunnels reveal stories of conflict that range from the Napoleonic era, via Dunkirk to the Cold War. Exquisite Leeds Castle simply should not be missed. Romantic, lake-ringed and packed with heritage, its ornate interior is unforgettable, making it one of the iconic castles in Kent. Outside, 500 acres of parkland houses a hedge maze, holiday cottages and the high-wire thrills of Go Ape. The 113ft Norman keep of Rochester Castle is one of the tallest in England, while the castle is also among the country's best-preserved. The many stories to be discovered at 13th century Hever Castle include the romance between one-time resident Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII.

At Tonbridge Castle explore one of England's finest examples of a mote and bailey fortifications; there are 14 acres of grounds to roam around too. Walmer Castle was built by Henry VIII to bolster defences against the French, before being turned into the elegant home of the Duke of Wellington, Warden of the Cinque Ports. Prowl battlements and storerooms at beautifully preserved Deal Castle , another Henry VIII fortification. While fairy-tale, river-side Upnor Castle is a real rarity: an Elizabethan artillery fort, designed to protect the Queen's fleet at nearby Chatham Docks. The list of enthralling castles in Kent stretches far and wide revealing unique history and heritage in some of the most beautiful parts of the county. Share BBC - King Henry VIII's Kentish roots King Henry VIII's Kentish roots Henry VIII was a frequent visitor to the county Henry VIII's connections to the county began when he was just a young child. In 1493, at the tender age of three Henry was appointed Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

Hever Castle was the setting of King Henry and Anne Boleyn's courtship and after the wedding they had their honeymoon on the Isle of Sheppey. King Henry VIII also had links with Leeds Castle, Manor Gate House Penshurst Place, Walmer Castle. Hever Castle King Henry's bedroom at Hever had a special lock fitted for the visit Henry VIII had many links to Hever Castle, apart from it being home of one of his wives, Anne Boleyn. Sir Thomas Boleyn, Anne's father, was an ambassador in France, and Anne, her sister and her mother were all Ladies in Waiting to Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Henry would have come the castle to court Anne and many argue that Hever Castle played a part in the formation of the Church of England. The Roman Catholic church wouldn't allow Henry to divorce Catherine and marry Anne, so he had to break away from Rome to be with Anne. Henry was paranoid about being assassinated, and travelled with a locksmith. His locks would be fitted to his bedroom where ever he stayed, and then removed when the royal party moved on, and affixed at his next resting place.

Henry's room at the castle, was probably Sir Thomas's bedroom the rest of the time, and being the best room in the house, his host was expected to give it up for his king. It is very likely that a bed would have been especially built for Henry's stay. All the residents of the castle would have been moved to the outhouses to make room for Henry and his large entourage. No expense would have been spared for the monarch's visit. The Isle of Sheppey Henry often stayed at Shurland Castle with Thomas Cheyney, who almost bankrupted himself to pay for the visits. The building is on the site of Shurland Castle, sometimes called Sheppey Castle which was built by the de Shurland family who came over to England in the wake of the Normal conquest. The stone for the castle had to be brought to the island and the stone for the walls around the gardens was taken from Chilham Castle. The castle passed into the Cheyney family and Thomas Cheyney became squire to Henry VIII after he came to the throne. Thomas Cheyney shared a love of jousting and rose rapidly in Henry's favour.

He became Sheriff of Kent and Lord of the Cinque Ports and ended up as a Privy Councilor, and was the most powerful man in Kent, especially after he was given former church land on the Isle of Sheppey and north Kent. Henry Cheyney, son of Thomas, disposed of his father's Kent properly, in favour of his mother's estate in Bedfordshire, and that was the start of the downfall of Shurland Hall. Walmer Castle Walmer Castle is part of a chain of forts all along the south coast built by Henry VIII. In 1539 Henry VIII commissioned a whole series of coastal artillery forts, including Walmer and Deal Castles, and the now lost Sandown Castle. They were built in around 18 months to defend England from the French and Spanish. Walmer offers a view right the way across the Channel to France, on a clear day and would have been a key part of Henry's defence. Henry would have visited to inspect his country's defences and it is known that he stayed down the coast at Deal Castle.

The Manor Gate House The present day Manor Gate House in Dartford used to form part of a much larger manor house built for Henry's use between 1541 and 1544. The site was originally Dartford Priory, but when the nuns refused to acknowledge Henry as head of the church, he took over the Priory and demolished it to make room for his new manor house. The last royal owner of the manor house was Elizabeth I, who only stayed there a few times, and it was during her time that the building started to be demolished. It was then owned by several rich owners, and most of the material was reused, some of which when to build the buildings in Whitehall in London. Penshurst Place The Baron's Hall at Penshurst Place shows off its medieval history King Henry first visited Penshurst Place as a guest of the Duke of Buckingham, but soon he became the owner of the property. Built in 1341 Penshurst Place's Baron's Hall has been described as "one of the grandest rooms in the world", because it's probably the oldest, biggest and best preserved medieval hall in England.

At the time of Henry VIII the 3rd Duke of Buckingham owned Penshurst Place and in August 1518 he entertained King Henry with his entourage of around 200. The original trestle tables can still be found in the Baron's Hall and it is estimated that the Duke spent the equivalent of £1 million entertaining his King. The Duke boasted that because he was so wealthy and had royal blood, he would be an obvious successor to the throne as Henry had no heir by this time. The King heard of this, immediately had the Duke accused and found guilty of treason. He was executed in London, and his property was forfeited to the throne. King Henry used Penshurst as a hunting lodge. It was an ideal spot for Henry to live being just over the hills from Hever Castle where he was courting both of the Boleyn sisters, Mary and Anne. Leeds Castle Henry spent just one night at Leeds Castle Henry was responsible for transforming the fortified medieval castle into a royal palace. He spent huge amounts of money on the castle, and the building was a statement of wealth, especially his use of glass, which was very much a status symbol in Tudor times.

Henry changed the downstairs rooms to become grand reception rooms introducing fire places into the main rooms, which originally had high vaulted ceilings. He added the second floor into the same space and created a whole suite of rooms upstairs for his then first wife, Catherine of Aragon. A new chapel and stables were also built on the central island. All this work was done for a visit in May in 1520 when he was on his on his way to France, with an entourage of over 5000 people. He spent only one night at Leeds Castle and in 1553, Henry's son gave the castle away. Bookmark with: Harts Holiday Park, Leysdown Sheppey, Kent - Park Holidays UK Park Holidays UK Call Us Now 0343 178 7070 Standard rate call. Included in your FREE minutes bundle! Good Morning.

We are now closed, please call back between the hours of - 9am to 5pm You are here: Select your destination and duration first Sign up for latest deals Search for a pitch Select your destination and duration first Sign up for latest deals Welcome to Harts Harts is the perfect park - a fantastic entertainment venue and great leisure facilities Harts is the perfect park; boasting a fantastic entertainment venue and leisure facilities. Someone has let the cat out of the bag! Since the new bridge opened, making the journey from the mainland to the holiday island of Sheppey even simpler. Additional developments at Harts for 2017 include a newly refurbished Clubhouse, and an Indoor Pool, improving the already great facilities available to our holiday guests. Surrounding Leysdown has all the amenities of a traditional seaside resort, but combines this with the tranquility and a'back to nature' feel generated from miles of unspoilt beaches and wide open green spaces. You may not know that Leysdown attracts over 100,000 visitors a year and has one of the lowest rainfalls in the UK!

Harts facilities Adventure Playground Adventure Playground Adventure Playground suitable for over 5 year olds; swings, slides, monkey bars, climbing frames and more. Play Areas will vary by Park Family Bar with Sky TV Family Bar with Sky TV SKY TV available in the clubhouse; if you're one of our guests that can't live without your weekly sporting fix you'll be pleased to know all our entertainment venues offer a full sports package. Kids Club for 5-14 year olds Kids Club for 5-14 year olds Kids Club for 5-14 year olds; join Loopy and the Club Team who are on hand to organise fun and games in a child-safe environment. (For 5-14 Year Olds - Parental supervision is required). Arcade and Amusements - Gamezone Arcade and Amusements - Gamezone Impress your friends with your combat and dance skills, see who's the fastest on the race track, test your knowledge on the quiz machines or try and win a prize! Free Wi-Fi in Clubhouse Free Wi-Fi in Clubhouse Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Club area. Or enjoy personal Wi-Fi access in your holiday home from just £12 per week.

Indoor Pool Harts Small Indoor Leisure Pool with children's Play Pool Spa Bath After a long day why not relax and unwind in our very own Spa Bath. FLEXI-DINE FLEXI-DINE Dining area and takeaway; Book our new FLEXI-DINE dining package and get the most out of your holiday and save £££s too. Launderette Launderette - For all your laundry needs Award Winning Beach Award Winning Beach in the area; under 5 miles distance Open Long Season Open Long Season Long Season - this park enjoys an extended opening season of 10.5 months meaning Holiday Home Owners can stay for longer. Pets Welcome Pets Welcome For an additional charge Pets are welcome in selected pet friendly accommodation at this park. Dogs can be walked around the park but must be kept on a lead at all times. Late availability deals for Harts Duration options: The Hop Farm Packed full of new features, rides and undercover wonders to entertain and fuel imaginations – come and enjoy one of life’s biggest adventures. For a fun filled family day out, immerse yourself in many activities during your visit, there really is something for everyone.

There is "phenomenal" demand for our 2017 early bird deals after families swooped in record numbers following their recent launch. Booking next year's holiday now can shave up Published 28 Nov 2016 No kidding – Tom and Amy's reviews are for real! In a bid to reassure on-line reviewers that their feedback is truly valued, Park Holidays UK has released a video of its Comments Assessm Published 20 Jul 2016 Let us entertain you – and it's all for free! Fantastic free entertainment from morning to night is being served up this summer – and families are voting it the best line-up ever. Published 27 Jul 2016 Are you visiting one of our Kent parks thisSummer? We have loads of amazing entertainment lined up to make your summer holiday as fun as possible - with live shows, competitions, discos, picnics Published 11 Jul 2016 Leysdown Road, Leysdown-on-Sea, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England, ME12 4RG Tel: Speak to an Harts advisor online now to answer all your holiday questions. Web Live Chat Explore the park with our handy navigational pdf guide.

Let me have a park map.. 01 Mar 2017 - 31 Oct 2017 Save up to £150 with our 2017 Early Booking Offer Only £20 Deposit - Pay 30 Days Prior 12 Oct 2016 - 31 Oct 2017 Book your great value 2017 holiday and pay just £20 deposit! 01 Mar 2017 - 31 Mar 2017 Great value March breaks available to book now. Golden Sands , Devon Great facilities in Dawlish, Devon - not far from the Dawlish Warren beach 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £179 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £120 Dawlish Sands , Devon - great location at Dawlish Warren, Devon.

Lots of family friendly facilities 3 nightsFri, 17 Mar 2017 Was £174 4 nightsMon, 20 Mar 2017 Was £118 Landscove , Devon - beautiful sea views in an idyllic setting overlooking the Devon coast in Brixham 3 nightsFri, 17 Mar 2017 Was £195 4 nightsMon, 20 Mar 2017 Was £175 Riviera Bay , Devon - fantastic facilities and sea views in Brixham on the Devon Riviera coast 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £115 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £95 Waterside , Devon - beautiful Devon sea views on the English Riviera coast in Paignton. 3 nightsFri, 17 Mar 2017 Was £186 4 nightsMon, 20 Mar 2017 Was £148 Sandhills , Dorset - Location Location!

On the waters` edge in Mudeford, Christchurch Harbour, Dorset 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £246 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £230 Now only £200 St Osyth Beach , Essex - great facilities with an indoor pool, right on the beach close to Clacton, Essex 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £130 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £112 Now only £92 Steeple Bay , Essex - the peaceful Essex coast near Maldon with great water sport facilities inc slipway 3 nightsFri, 10 Mar 2017 Was £110 4 nightsMon, 13 Mar 2017 Was £88 Now only £69 Seawick , Essex - fun on the Essex sunshine coast at St Osyth Beach close to the famous Clacton on Sea.

3 nightsFri, 10 Mar 2017 Was £104 4 nightsMon, 13 Mar 2017 Was £89 Solent Breezes , Hampshire - tucked away on Hampshire coast at Warsash - water sports facilities on site 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £161 3 nightsFri, 10 Mar 2017 Was £173 Now only £153 Alberta , Kent - right by the beach for a coastal stroll into famous Whitstable on the North Kent coast 3 nightsFri, 10 Mar 2017 Was £135 4 nightsMon, 13 Mar 2017 Was £124 Now only £104 Harts , Kent - family fun in Leysdown the ever popular coastal resort on Kent's Isle of Sheppey.

3 nightsFri, 24 Mar 2017 Was £152 4 nightsMon, 27 Mar 2017 Was £100 Now only £80 Marlie , Kent - close to New Romney on the South Kent coast - not far from the beach in a great setting 3 nightsFri, 10 Mar 2017 Was £104 4 nightsMon, 13 Mar 2017 Was £83 Now only £69 New Beach , Kent - family fun close to the Dymchurch beaches on the South Kent coast near Romney 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £108 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £106 Now only £86 Seaview , Kent - great location near Whitstable in North Kent with the coast just waiting to be explored 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £170 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £99 Now only £79 Birchington Vale , Kent Formerly known as Two Chimneys, Birchington Vale is a relaxing holiday park set in 

100 acres of Kent countryside.

3 nightsFri, 24 Mar 2017 Was £150 4 nightsMon, 27 Mar 2017 Was £130 Now only £105 Felixstowe Beach , Suffolk - at the heart of the Suffolk coastal resort. Great facilities include an indoor pool. 3 nightsFri, 17 Mar 2017 Was £104 4 nightsMon, 20 Mar 2017 Was £96 Now only £76 Suffolk Sands , Suffolk - great location at the end of the Felixstowe promenade for a sea front stroll 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £124 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £100 Broadland Sands , Suffolk The perfect location for your UK holiday on the east coast. 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £99 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £89 Coghurst Hall , Sussex Beautiful lakeside setting in Hastings.

Great facilities near the East Sussex coast 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £124 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £104 Chichester Lakeside , Sussex - picturesque setting with fishing lakes - close to the West Sussex coast 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £188 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £171 Now only £141 Rye Harbour , Sussex - idyllic location in Rye Harbour on the East Sussex coast by a nature reserve 3 nightsFri, 3 Mar 2017 Was £105 4 nightsMon, 6 Mar 2017 Was £83 Winchelsea Sands , Sussex - a great location with Hastings & the East Sussex coast nearby 3 nightsFri, 10 Mar 2017 Was £99 4 nightsMon, 13 Mar 2017 Was £79 Eastchurch holiday homes near Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey 3 Bedroom Thanet Medway (Unitary) Kent is a county in England, south-east of London.

The county town is Maidstone. Kent has land borders with East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London, and a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames estuary. Kent also has a nominal border with France halfway along the Channel Tunnel. Its name came from the Kingdom of Kent. The two cities in Kent are Canterbury, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Rochester, the seat of the Bishop of Rochester. However, since 1998 when local government was reorganised, Rochester lost its official city status through an administrative oversight; attempts are now being made to regain it. For other towns, see the list below. Kent, because of its sobriquet "the Garden of England", might be regarded as a picturesque rural county, but farming is still an industry. Over the centuries many other industries have been of importance; some still are. Woollen cloth-making, iron-making; paper; cement; engineering: all have been part of the industrial scene. Fishing and tourism occupy many people, especially the coastal resorts. The East Kent coalfield was mined in the 20th century: and there is a nuclear power station at Dungeness.

Nevertheless, the district of Thanet has been regarded as one of the most disadvantaged areas in the south-east of England. Ferry ports, the Channel Tunnel and two motorways provide links with the European continent. There are airports at Manston and Rochester and smaller airfields at Headcorn and Lydd. Famous residents of Kent have included Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin. Sir Winston Churchill's home Chartwell is also in Kent. Although the Victoria County History for Kent is limited, an extensive survey of the county was undertaken over a 50-year period by Edward Hasted between 1755-1805. William Lambarde was an even earlier writer, in the 16th century. According to a marketing campaign conducted by the charity Plantlife in 2002, the county flower of Kent is the Hop.1 This has no official standing, and cannot have, as there is no longer an administrative authority covering the whole of the ceremonial county of Kent. History Main article: History of Kent The area has been occupied since the Lower Palaeolithic as finds from the quarries at Swanscombe attest.

During the Neolithic the Medway megaliths were built and there is a rich sequence of Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman occupation indicated by finds and features such as the Ringlemere gold cup and the Roman villas of the Darent valley. The modern name of Kent is derived from the Brythonic word Cantus meaning a rim or border, being applied as a name to the eastern part of the modern county, and meaning border land or coastal district. Julius Caesar described it as Cantium, home of the Cantiaci in 51 BC. The extreme west of the modern county was occupied by other Iron Age tribes; the Regnenses and possibly another ethnic group occupying The Weald. East Kent became one of the kingdoms of the Jutes during the fifth century AD (see Kingdom of Kent) and the area was later known as Cantia in about 730 and Cent in 835. The early Mediaeval inhabitants of the county were known as the Cantwara or Kent people, whose capital was Canterbury. Canterbury is the religious centre of the Anglican faith, and see of St Augustine of Canterbury. Augustine is traditionally credited with bringing Christianity to the county and thus to England in 597.

Following the invasion of Britain by William of Normandy the people of Kent adopted the motto Invicta meaning undefeated and claiming that they had frightened the Normans away, as the Normans merely used Kent to reach London. Once London was reached, the Normans ignored most of East Kent, due to the peasants attacking them at every turn. As a result, Kent became a semi-autonomous County Palatine under William's half-brother Odo of Bayeux, with the special powers otherwise reserved for counties bordering Wales and Scotland. During the medieval period, Kent produced several rebellions including the Peasants' Revolt led by Wat Tyler and later, Jack Cade's rebellion of 1450. Thomas Wyatt led an army into London from Kent in 1553, against Mary I. Canterbury became a great pilgrimage site following the martyrdom of Thomas Becket. Canterbury's religious role also gave rise to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a key development in the rise of the written English language and ostensibly set in the countryside of Kent. By the 17th century, tensions between Britain and the continental powers of the Netherlands and France led to increasing military build-up in the county.

Forts were built all along the coast following a daring raid by the Dutch navy on the shipyards of the Medway towns in 1667. During World War II the airfields in Kent played a vital part in the Battle of Britain while civilian settlements were often bombed. Geography Physical geography Kent is the south easternmost county in England. It is bounded on the north by the River Thames and the North Sea, and on the south by the Straits of Dover and the English Channel. The continent of Europe is a mere 21 miles across the Strait. The major geographical features of the county are determined by a series of ridges running from west to east across the county. These ridges are the remains of the Wealden dome, which was the result of uplifting caused by the Alpine movements between 10-20 million years ago. Erosion has resulted in these ridges and the valleys between.

From the north they are: the marshlands along the Thames/Medway estuaries and along the North Kent coast; the chalk North Downs reaching heights of around 600ft; the sandstone and clay valley containing the River Medway and its tributaries; the Greensand ridge; the Wealden clay valley and finally the sandstone High Weald. The highest point of the county is Betsom's Hill north of Westerham ( ), at 251m/823ft. Probably the most significant geographical feature of Kent is the White cliffs of Dover. It is here that the North Downs reaches the sea. From there to Westerham is now the Kent Downs Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty. The Weald derives its ancient name from the Germanic word wald meaning simply woodland. Much of the area remains today densely wooded; where there are also heavy clays the tracks through are nearly impassable for much of the year. Kent's principal river, the River Medway, rises near Edenbridge and flows some 25 miles (40km) eastwards to a point near Maidstone when it turns north.

Here it breaks through the North Downs at Rochester before joining the River Thames as its final tributary near Sheerness. The river is tidal as far as Allington lock, but in earlier times cargo-carrying vessels reached as far upstream as Tonbridge. There are other rivers in Kent. Industries In medieval times the Weald was of national importance for two industries: the iron industry and cloth-making. Kent is sometimes known as the Garden of England because of its agricultural influence, extensive orchards and hop-gardens. Distinctive hop-drying buildings called oast houses are common in the countryside, although many have been converted into dwellings. Nearer London, market gardens also flourish. In more recent times, three industries have been of some importance: paper-making, cement-making and coal-mining: Paper needs a supply of the right kind of water: in Kent the original mills stood on streams like the River Darent, tributaries of the River Medway, and on the Great Stour. Two 18th century mills were on the River Len and at Tovil on the River Loose.

In the late 19th century huge modern mills were built at Dartford and Northfleet on the River Thames; and at Kemsley on The Swale. Cement came to the fore in the 19th century when massive building projects were being undertaken. The ready supply of chalk available, and huge pits between Stone and Gravesend bear testament to that industry. There were also other workings around Burham on the tidal Medway. Coal was mined in East Kent: from about 1900 several pits were operating, and Snowdown Colliery was opened in 1908. The coalfield is now closed. Political divisions Man of Kent or Kentish Man? Kent is traditionally divided into West Kent and East Kent by the River Medway. This division into east and west is also reflected in the term Men of Kent for residents east of the Medway; those from west are known as Kentish Men. However, further investigation shows that the division is not the Medway, but further east in Gillingham.

Edward Hasted, in his 1798 description of Rainham, writes: "The whole of this parish is in the division of East Kent which begins here, the adjoining parish of Gillingham, westward, being wholly in that of West Kent." The division, according to one historian, Freddie Cooper, a former Mayor of Gillingham, remained until April 1, 1929 when Rainham was transferred, despite protest, from the administration of Milton Rural District Council to that of Gillingham. Most English counties have nicknames for people from that county, such as a Tyke from Yorkshire and a Yellowbelly from Lincolnshire; the traditional nickname for people from Kent is 'Kentish Long-Tail', deriving from the long-held belief on the continental mainland of Medieval Europe that the English had tails. In religious matters, Kent was divided between the two episcopal areas of Canterbury and Rochester. Lathes A lathe was an ancient administration division of Kent, and may well have originated during a Jutish colonisation of the county. These ancient divisions still exist, but have no administrative significance.

There are seven Lathes in Kent; Aylesford, Milton, Sutton, Borough, Eastry, Lympne and Wye. These units are recorded as intermediate between the county and hundred. The Domesday Book reveals that in 1086 Kent was divided into the seven lathes or "lest(um)" for administrative, judicial and taxation purposes and these units remained important for another 600 years. Each of the seven lathes were divided into smaller areas called hundreds, although the difference between the functions of lathes and hundreds remains unclear. Taken from Frank W Jessup's History of Kent 1958 Feudalism A Manorial court was an early form of dispensing justice which came into being after the Domesday Book. Among other things it dealt with land tenure. After the 17th century most of the court's functions were taken over by a Justice of the Peace, who had first been appointed from the 14th century. From 1361 until 1971 the justices met four times a year in Quarter Sessions. In Kent there were separate courts of Quarter Sessions (at Maidstone and Canterbury) until 1814.

The Poor Law Under the Poor Law every parish had had the responsibility of looking after its own poor, and seeing that they had the bare minimum of shelter, food, clothing and medical attention. In most parishes the burden of poor relief mounted rapidly in the early part of the 19th century. Huge population increase, and the lack of work on the land, made it imperative that the Poor Law was amended. It was, in 1834, when the institutions known as workhouses came into being. These were often run by a group of parishes — hence the title Union Workhouse. Boards of Guardians were set up to oversee them. Boards of Health Boards of Health, in much the same way as the Boards of Guardians for the poor, were set up in 1875, because of the huge rise in epidemics, notably of cholera. The area of the sanitary districts, as they were known, coincided with the union boundaries. Larger parishes (<5000 people) became urban sanitary districts — or, as they became known, urban districts — while the smaller ones evolved into rural districts. Highway boards Highway boards also came into being, and the old turnpike trusts gradually expired.

Municipal boroughs The final sub-division of Kent was into towns which had been granted a charter by the Crown giving them special privileges, including that of having a mayor. The boroughs at the beginning of the 19th century are those marked (MB) on the list of Cities & Towns below. In addition the village of Fordwich also counted as a borough: it was deprived of that status in 1882. Kent County Council The Local Government Act 1888 created an administrative county of Kent, with its own county council in 1889. At the same time, northern parts of Kent came under the County of London and Canterbury became a county borough with similar powers. The county council's duties at first were few, but gradually it absorbed School Boards, the rural Highway Boards and the Boards of Guardians. Paul Carter became leader of Kent County Council in October, 2005, succeeding Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart. Parish councils The Local Government Act 1894 set up urban district, rural district and parish councils. These were civil parishes, and unconnected with an ecclesiastical parish.

Although since 1979 there have been many changes in local government, parish councils now are in a strong position, particularly in unitary authorities, where they act as a second tier. In other districts, some functions are held by the county council, relegating parish councils to a less influential third-tier status. Parish rates are today collected by the district or unitary tier and then disbursed to parish clerks. Those parish councils serving areas of denser settlement are normally known as town councils although their rank and influence is much the same. These traditionally elect a mayor from the town councillors with the greatest experience. All the preceding notes in this section taken from Kent History Illustrated Frank W Jessup (Kent County Council 1966) Changes in 1965 and 1974 The London Government Act 1963 created an enlarged Greater London in 1965 which took in more of northern Kent. The Local Government Act 1972 abolished the previous structure of local government in 1974 and created a new non-metropolitan county of Kent, divided into districts. It also abolished Canterbury as a county borough which became a district under the new county council.

Medway unitary authority In 1998 the districts of Gillingham and Rochester-upon-Medway were removed from county council government to become the unitary authority called Medway Council. Economy This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of the non-metropolitan county of Kent at current basic prices published (pp.240-253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. Year Note 1: includes hunting and forestry Note 2: includes energy and construction Note 3: includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured Note 4: Components may not sum to totals due to rounding Kent and London When the County of London was created by the Local Government Act 1888, the new county incorporated part of north west Kent including Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich and Lewisham. Penge was gained from Surrey by the London Government Act 1899. Further change came in 1965, when the County of London was abolished and Greater London took its place.

The places that had been removed in 1888 were amalgamated to form the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Greenwich and two further boroughs were created. These were the London Borough of Bromley, an amalgamation of Bromley, Beckenham, Chislehurst, Orpington and Penge and the London Borough of Bexley comprising Bexley, Sidcup, Erith and Crayford. Much of the north-west of the county is part of the London commuter belt. The Thames Gateway regeneration area includes riverside areas of north Kent as far east as Sittingbourne and largely to the north of the A2 road. Ceremonial county The ceremonial county of Kent corresponds to the administrative county plus the district of Medway (or Medway Towns).

Cities, towns and villages See the list of places in Kent, list of civil parishes in Kent :Category:Towns in Kent :Category:Villages in Kent Places of interest Contact the Eastchurch Holiday Centre in Kent ME12 4EW Kent ME12 4EW Directions: From the M2 or M20 motorways take the A249, which takes you directly to the Sheppey Crossing which brings you onto the Isle of Sheppey. At the first mini roundabout turn right onto the B2231 and follow the road through to Eastchurch; the roads are sign posted. Follow the road through Eastchurch Village and turn left at the large church into Warden Road, follow this road down and turn right into Warden Road again then take the second turning on the left into Fourth Avenue.

Contact Form NEW Map of Isle of Sheppey, things to do and attractions near to Isle of Sheppey, Kent - at pagemost.com Link directly to this page or register for a free page dedicated to your own website/location Map of Isle of Sheppey, Kent Many of the things to do in Isle of Sheppey, Kent are shown on the map below, including local attractions, land features and railway stations. Scroll down to find the map of Isle of Sheppey, and continue down the page to find details of the attractions, landmarks and much more. If Isle of Sheppey is not the place you were looking for, search again for any UK postcode or place name. Search for another UK town, village or postcode interactive map of Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Click icons for details. Zoom in and out with toolbar on the left. Click and drag to move around. Map Centre BBC - Kent - King Henry VIII's Kentish roots 12:38 GMT, Thursday, 8 October 2009 13:38 UK King Henry VIII's Kentish roots Henry VIII's connections to the county began when he was just a young child.

In 1493, at the tender age of three Henry was appointed Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Hever Castle was the setting of King Henry and Anne Boleyn's courtship and after the wedding they had their honeymoon on the Isle of Sheppey. King Henry VIII also had links with Leeds Castle, Manor Gate House Penshurst Place, Walmer Castle. Hever Castle Henry VIII had many links to Hever Castle, apart from it being home of one of his wives, Anne Boleyn. Sir Thomas Boleyn, Anne's father, was an ambassador in France, and Anne, her sister and her mother were all Ladies in Waiting to Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Henry would have come the castle to court Anne and many argue that Hever Castle played a part in the formation of the Church of England. The Roman Catholic church wouldn't allow Henry to divorce Catherine and marry Anne, so he had to break away from Rome to be with Anne. Henry was paranoid about being assassinated, and travelled with a locksmith. His locks would be fitted to his bedroom where ever he stayed, and then removed when the royal party moved on, and affixed at his next resting place.

Henry's room at the castle, was probably Sir Thomas's bedroom the rest of the time, and being the best room in the house, his host was expected to give it up for his king. It is very likely that a bed would have been especially built for Henry's stay. All the residents of the castle would have been moved to the outhouses to make room for Henry and his large entourage. No expense would have been spared for the monarch's visit. The Isle of Sheppey Henry often stayed at Shurland Castle with Thomas Cheyney, who almost bankrupted himself to pay for the visits. The building is on the site of Shurland Castle, sometimes called Sheppey Castle which was built by the de Shurland family who came over to England in the wake of the Normal conquest. The stone for the castle had to be brought to the island and the stone for the walls around the gardens was taken from Chilham Castle. The castle passed into the Cheyney family and Thomas Cheyney became squire to Henry VIII after he came to the throne. Thomas Cheyney shared a love of jousting and rose rapidly in Henry's favour.

He became Sheriff of Kent and Lord of the Cinque Ports and ended up as a Privy Councilor, and was the most powerful man in Kent, especially after he was given former church land on the Isle of Sheppey and north Kent. Henry Cheyney, son of Thomas, disposed of his father's Kent properly, in favour of his mother's estate in Bedfordshire, and that was the start of the downfall of Shurland Hall. Walmer Castle Walmer Castle is part of a chain of forts all along the south coast built by Henry VIII. In 1539 Henry VIII commissioned a whole series of coastal artillery forts, including Walmer and Deal Castles, and the now lost Sandown Castle. They were built in around 18 months to defend England from the French and Spanish. Walmer offers a view right the way across the Channel to France, on a clear day and would have been a key part of Henry's defence. Henry would have visited to inspect his country's defences and it is known that he stayed down the coast at Deal Castle.

The Manor Gate House The present day Manor Gate House in Dartford used to form part of a much larger manor house built for Henry's use between 1541 and 1544. The site was originally Dartford Priory, but when the nuns refused to acknowledge Henry as head of the church, he took over the Priory and demolished it to make room for his new manor house. The last royal owner of the manor house was Elizabeth I, who only stayed there a few times, and it was during her time that the building started to be demolished. It was then owned by several rich owners, and most of the material was reused, some of which when to build the buildings in Whitehall in London. Penshurst Place King Henry first visited Penshurst Place as a guest of the Duke of Buckingham, but soon he became the owner of the property. Built in 1341 Penshurst Place's Baron's Hall has been described as "one of the grandest rooms in the world", because it's probably the oldest, biggest and best preserved medieval hall in England.

At the time of Henry VIII the 3rd Duke of Buckingham owned Penshurst Place and in August 1518 he entertained King Henry with his entourage of around 200. The original trestle tables can still be found in the Baron's Hall and it is estimated that the Duke spent the equivalent of £1 million entertaining his King. The Duke boasted that because he was so wealthy and had royal blood, he would be an obvious successor to the throne as Henry had no heir by this time. The King heard of this, immediately had the Duke accused and found guilty of treason. He was executed in London, and his property was forfeited to the throne. King Henry used Penshurst as a hunting lodge. It was an ideal spot for Henry to live being just over the hills from Hever Castle where he was courting both of the Boleyn sisters, Mary and Anne. Leeds Castle Henry was responsible for transforming the fortified medieval castle into a royal palace. He spent huge amounts of money on the castle, and the building was a statement of wealth, especially his use of glass, which was very much a status symbol in Tudor times.

Henry changed the downstairs rooms to become grand reception rooms introducing fire places into the main rooms, which originally had high vaulted ceilings. He added the second floor into the same space and created a whole suite of rooms upstairs for his then first wife, Catherine of Aragon. A new chapel and stables were also built on the central island. All this work was done for a visit in May in 1520 when he was on his on his way to France, with an entourage of over 5000 people. He spent only one night at Leeds Castle and in 1553, Henry's son gave the castle away. Warden Springs Holiday Park, Isle Of Sheppey, Kent - Pitchup.com Warden Springs Holiday Park Heaps of on-site activities for all ages Evening entertainment at the Waterside Tavern Outdoor pool and sun terrace Don’t stress that you might be stranded with nothing to do on the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent… the site of Warden Springs on the island will capture your interest with heaps of on-site activities for all ages – and is a short drive from the new bridge over the Swale for easily exploring the rest of the county.

Rest, relax or explore at this Spreyer Holidays site: Warden Springs is surrounded by countryside and woodland (and comes with smashing sea views), set about a mile from the award-winning pebble beach at Leysdown with coastal park and nature reserve beyond. The outdoor pool on site will keep the kids happy while the bigger folks lounge on the sun terrace opposite, and small guests should show more than a flicker of interest at the many activities laid on for them during the day. Plenty of other pursuits are run all day long for the rest of the family; check with the entertainment team when you arrive to see what’s on, when and where. Peak season and bank holidays see leisurely evening entertainment at the Waterside Tavern, with a more restful programme of events available at other times. Alongside the tavern, the Waterside restaurant and takeaway serves a good selection of family-friendly meals and snacks from 9am until late.

Open from 18/03/2017 to 01/11/2017 Site type Book Online Share this site All the Swale is a National Nature Reserve, Special Protection Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest; so as you might deduce, rich sightings abound around here for naturalists and birdwatchers, like rare butterflies and moths, unusual flora, and flocks of wading birds such as avocets, oystercatchers and the country’s biggest collection of marsh harriers. One of the best spots to spy the bird population on Sheppey is from the viewing platform at Capel Fleet, part of the RSPB reserve at Elmley Marshes. Beachwise, both Leysdown and Sheppey’s main beach at Sheerness are popular with families and both have received Blue Flag awards. The seaside port of Sheerness has quite a bit to do off the sand, such as checking out the history of the area at the both the Blue Town and Sheerness heritage centres, telling the tale of the days when Sheerness was a busy port and a base for the Royal Navy.

Minster Abbey, along the coast to the west, has been an essential Sheppey site since the seventh century and has a varied collection of artefacts from the ages, such as the famous de Northwode brasses and armour dating from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. Going into Kent itself, the ‘garden of England’ is blossoming with piles more stuff to see and do: visit the open-air Museum of Kent Life in Maidstone for a refreshing day with the kids, keep them sweet with the jam-making ingredients at Brogdale Farm, or dive into the area’s maritime history at historic Chatham Dockyard (Dickens World is at the dockyard too for those who like to leaf through Kent’s literary heritage). Twelfth century Rochester Castle and absolutely fabulous Leeds Castle with its 500 acres of parkland and formal gardens are popular Kent pulls for visitors, as are the gardens at Sissinghurst Castle, former home of Vita Sackville-West. The fishing – and oyster – town of Whitstable is about three miles over the Swale and well worth a visit to sample its most famous produce; from here, it’s a short drive to the seaside and watersports of Herne Bay or the spectacular sights of historic Canterbury.

The Canterbury Heritage Museum, in a twelfth century former hospital in Stour Street, still has its medieval beamed roofs alongside troves of local treasure starting from Anglo-Saxon times. Speaking of which, childish occupations are also plentiful in Kent: the 450 acres of country park at The Hop Farm have funfair rides, magic castle and giant pillows to bounce around on, and all ages should dig getting down and dirty at Diggerland, where kids and adults can take a turn driving full-size construction machinery – but do let the offspring have their turn too… Must see Whitstable Museum and Art Gallery (6.6 miles) West Gate Towers Museum (11.8 miles) Canterbury Heritage Museum (12.0 miles) National Trust Cobham Wood and Mausoleum (21.1 miles) Cycle routes

Question: In which county are 'Leeds castle' and the 'Isle of Sheppey'?
Answer: KENT